What Happens Next
by Bookworm1063
Summary: James and Teddy have a fateful conversation after James graduates from Hogwarts.


The moment James stepped off the train at platform nine and three-quarters, his mother enveloped him in a hug so tight, he could feel his ribs cracking.

"Mum- can't- breathe-" he choked out, but he wrapped her arms around her nevertheless.

Next to them, Lily was swinging on their father's arm, and Albus was leaning against the station wall, surly as ever, and shooting his best friend heart eyes across the platform that James was sure Scorpius hadn't noticed.

"Seriously, Mum," he said, disentangling himself from Ginny, only for his father to set Lily down and hug him in turn. "Dad!"

"What, so I'm not allowed to hug my own son after he graduates from Hogwarts?" Harry asked, beaming at his oldest child. He had to look up to do it; James had inherited the lanky build and height of a couple of Weasley uncles, and he was taller than his father now.

James caught his brother's gaze and smirked knowingly. Albus flipped him off behind their parent's backs.

It was good to be home.

o-o-o-o-o

"I thought we'd have a bit of a party tonight," Harry announced as he unlocked the front door of the house. "Just family, a few close friends."

"Merlin's sake," Albus groaned, trudging past his family to the stairs. James followed him in, hauling both his own and Lily's trunks over the threshold. "I'll be in my room, writing a letter and listening to Muggle music."

"You will not," Ginny said, frowning at her youngest son. "You just saw Scorpius today, and he'll be here tonight. Writing can wait."

Albus's whole face lit up, but James was too distracted to tease him for it. Not that he would have, in front of their parents and Lily. "Is… Teddy coming? Tonight, I mean."

"They'll be here. Andromeda too," Harry said. "Now go unpack."

James did, ignoring the butterflies that had taken flight in his stomach, and Albus' grin.

o-o-o-o-o

The Potter household was packed to the brim with miscellaneous Weasleys, Scamanders, and Longbottoms, but there was no sign of Teddy. Albus and Scorpius had long since disappeared into the backyard with Rose. Lily was perched in the same armchair as Hugo, watching something on television. Even Draco was laughing and chatting with Harry and Hermione in the kitchen. James leaned back against the wall in the sitting room, feeling unreasonably disappointed.

He knew he shouldn't. Teddy might have had other things to do tonight. Maybe Andromeda's health problems had gotten worse. Maybe they'd had a date; just because they'd broken up with Victoire didn't mean they had to stay single forever. Maybe they were just sick. Or didn't feel like coming.

"James?"

James shoved himself off the wall, spinning around- _too fast. Too eager_\- only for Teddy to throw an arm over his shoulders and ruffle his hair.

"Hogwarts graduate! How's it feel?"

James smiled and said, "Great," but really he was thinking of the weight of Teddy's arm over his shoulders, and how close they were to him, and agonizing over the way Teddy treated him- like a brother, like a best friend, the way he always had- when the way James thought about Teddy was anything but plutonic. And maybe he should work on that, because Teddy was his godsibling and was five years older than him and had only ever dated girls, but James couldn't help it. Sometimes he even thought he was in love.

"What are you planning to do?" Teddy asked him, leading the way through the crowds and into the kitchen to grab a couple of butterbeers.

"I don't know," James said. When he'd given Professor Longbottom that answer, back in fifth year, Neville had just sighed and handed him a copy of every pamphlet on his desk, advising James to continue with every class he passed the O.W.L. for. Teddy merely shrugged and said, "You'll figure it out. Quidditch, maybe?"

"That's my parent's thing," James said. "Just because I'm good at it, doesn't mean I want to do it for the rest of my life, you know?"

"Yeah," Teddy agreed. "Let's go outside. I want to talk to you."

James followed Teddy out onto the back porch. There were a few people there, but it wasn't packed. Just Albus, Scorpius, and Rose, perched on the old swings left over from childhood, and Dominique, who had brought her boyfriend along. They were sitting on a bench out in the yard, and James honestly thought for a moment that they were trying to eat each other's faces. He was amazed they were still clothed. The other teens didn't seem to care that much; they were just sitting on their swings, but James still took the time to chuck a small pebble he'd fished from the ground at Dominique's shoulder, and give her a pointed look when she tore her face away from her boyfriend. They disappeared back inside, and James hoped and prayed his father had remembered to lock all the bedroom doors.

"So, what's up?" James asked finally, slumping down next to Teddy in the grass, backs resting against the fence.

Teddy took a deep breath, staring at their knees. "I've been wondering," they said, "If I should even tell you this."

James didn't say anything. He just waited.

"It's a little weird, isn't it," Teddy continued. "You're five years younger, and your father is my godfather- I mean, I consider him to be my parent, I consider your siblings to be my siblings- but not you. And I don't want to make anything awkward…"

James was half-holding his breath now. Not daring to believe what he thought he might be hearing.

"But you're also my best friend, and I don't want to keep secrets from you, so I'll just… say it." Teddy laughed to themself, studying the lines on their palms, the trees that separated the Potter's lawn from the next-door neighbors- anything that wasn't James. "I like you. I think I might be in love with you."

And then Teddy stopped talking, and James _couldn't _talk. Because this was actually happening.

"Shit, I'm so sorry," Teddy said. "I knew I shouldn't have… Um. I'll just…" They started to stand, but James reached out at the last minute and caught the edge of their jacket.

"No… stay. Please."

Teddy hesitated, but slowly sank back down onto the grass next to James.

"I wasn't expecting that," James admitted, and he was glad that it was too dark for Teddy to see him blush.

Teddy winced. "Yeah. Look, I'm really sorry-"

"Will you stop apologizing?" James leaned his head back against the fence with an audible _thump_. "It's really fucking annoying. You have nothing to be sorry for."

Teddy arched a blue eyebrow, staring at James in the dark. "Seriously?"

"Yeah." James had no idea how people did this. Feelings were bad enough; talking about them was even worse. "I mean… me, too."

Teddy grinned. "Really?"

James just nodded. "Yeah."

They sat in silence for a long moment, watching the stars emerge overhead as the last rays of sun disappeared beneath the horizon. Then Teddy cleared their throat.

"Would it… would it be okay if I kissed you? Right now?"

James let one shoulder rise and fall in a halfhearted shrug. "I'm not gonna say no."

Teddy reached out with one hand, cupping the side of James' face as they leaned in.

It was quick, just James' lips pressed against Teddy's for a fraction of a second, but when they pulled away, they were both grinning.

Someone out in the yard wolf-whistled, and James glanced back over Teddy's shoulder, remembering that they had an audience.

Albus, Scorpius, and Rose had been too far away to overhear anything that had been said, but they were definitely close enough to see James and Teddy kissing.

Albus gave James the thumbs-up. James flipped his little brother off and stuck out his tongue.

The three younger teens hopped off the swing set and disappeared into the house, and Teddy and James followed them a few minutes later, hand in hand.

o-o-o-o-o

**Two Months Later**

James leaned back against the wall outside his brother's room, watching Albus toss clothes out of his closet and into a heap on the bed. "Dad told you to pack last night, Al."

Albus rolled his eyes, but didn't object to the nickname. "Please. You were usually still packing when Mum started the car."

James merely lifted one shoulder in the air in a halfhearted shrug.

Downstairs, the doorbell rang, and James heard his sister scamper through the hall to answer it.

"Teddy!"

James strode off down the stairs, jumping over the trunk someone had left at the bottom, and leaned in to kiss Teddy on the cheek.

"Hey."

"Hey," Teddy said, grinning down at James and turning to kiss him properly. Lily pretended to gag, but when James pulled away, he didn't miss the smile on her face.

"Guys, we're going to be late- oh, good morning, Teddy. How's Andromeda?" Ginny ducked in between Lily and James to reach the table where she'd left her purse.

"Doing well," Teddy said, giving Ginny a one-armed hug before leaning back against James. "Where's Al?"

"Packing," James said, just as Albus appeared at the top of the stairs, dragging his trunk behind him, grey hoodie hanging around his neck. He had yet to actually put his arms through the sleeves or fasten his trunk.

"Albus, that's gonna-" James started, just as Albus heaved his trunk off the top step. The whole thing exploded open. Textbooks, robes, and potion ingredients rained down around Albus' feet.

"Holy shit," Albus complained, reaching for the first book.

"Don't swear," Teddy, Ginny, and James chorused in unison. James added an extra word to his that made Ginny glare, Teddy sigh, Lily laugh, and Albus roll his eyes (not that it took much to make Albus roll his eyes, especially at James).

Teddy moved to help Albus, and James busied himself with Lily's trunk and the glass tank containing her toad, moving her things out to the family car.

"Okay," Teddy said when James came back inside. "I can drive, Ginny. If you want."

"Sure," Ginny agreed. "Let's go- _Harry!_" A muffled shout echoed from the back of the house.

Ginny shook her head. "He's coming."

Five minutes later, the car was pulling out of the Potter's driveway. Albus and Lily sat in the back, Harry and Ginny in the middle row. In the passenger seat, James rested his hand on Teddy's thigh and leaned back, watching the road slide away from the car.

It was weird, he decided, to not be going back to Hogwarts this year. He still had no idea what he wanted to do. But all in all, he was very glad he'd graduated.


End file.
